ExRx.net

So in my journey from 130lbs to my current weight of 192lbs, I have put on a little fat. Not much, but just enough to start to blur my abs. I think I've finally made the transition from "ripped" to "lean".

This will never do! So as of today I have started a recomp. Not really a cut, just trying to add a little muscle while burning a bit of fat (not everyone believes you can do both at the same time but I definitely do).

Currently, my diet is eat as much as I can of everything, all the time (but mostly clean). I drink a weight gainer shake for breakfast and eat a double cheeseburger post-workout (that's the dirty part). I eat an unholy amount of carbs, all through the day, and generally have one mega cheat meal at the weekend.

My new improved diet will be CBL style a la John Kiefer. I will be drinking a whey shake for breakfast (no carbs) and eating low carb until I train, which is usually about 18.30, then once I've trained I'll drink a carby mass gainer shake, and then eat loads of - mostly clean - carbs until bedtime.

I'l do this for the next 8 weeks or so, and depending on the results I might start skipping breakfast (so it's more of an IF style protocol) and may even add some fasted morning cardio! (gasp!)

So my question is this: who's with me? Someone else must fancy a recomp. We could keep each other motivated, use this thread to discuss our chosen methods, spitball ideas on how to improve etc. We could even have some kind of challenge like we do with pull ups every January.

Anyone up for it?

I measured my waist when I got back from the arctic and it was 37". I would like to get it to 34". My problem is that I'm on the road a lot this summer so I'm eating too much and not working out enough. The other problem is that I don't have a consistant scale to weigh myself on so I don't. Anyway, I'll give it a shot.

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

good lad Stu, it never occurred to me to measure my waist so I just did it. I'm 34" at the naval (is that the correct place to measure? I've never really done it before...) which I find quite surprising as my jeans have a 34" waist and it's too big...

Anyway, the goal is 32" by September.

Just above the naval is the correct spot as that's the biggest part. I take 34" jeans. They fit under the belly. I used to wear 36" jeans and my wife bought me some 38" belts. That was too much for me. Some of them have 4 or 5 holes drilled in them.

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

I really want too. With my belly in the 44" + range. Not sure I should.

With the life issues I had sort of stabalizing I had the opportunity to start back on the SS program almost a month ago without missing a session... I'm worried I'll ruin something.

you're worried that losing weight will have some sort of negative consequence?

I want you to say that out loud and see how it sounds

Sorry, let me clarify.

I'm worried that if I try to take on too much that I might either burn out or injure myself resulting in a break of a fragile beginning to a solid, healthy habit that I've started.

I dunno, maybe I am making excuses for myself. But I find myself thinking of and getting excited about throwing in some short metcons at least every day that I workout plus some others and find it hard to reign myself back in and to stick to the program.

I keep reading these threads on here about doing some quick metcons with strength training and start planning out my new training program but always come back to that little voice inside my head.

From SS... "YNDTFP"

From most others. 'Pick a program and stick with it.'

all you would need to do is just clean up your diet. It wouldn't affect your starting strength goals in the least. You don't need to change anything about Starting Strength, just eat better.

HELL NO! THIS IS THE WORST IDEA EVER!!

:)

(good luck to you guys)

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Thanks TimD.

haha you sure you don't fancy rockin some hot abs hoose? Summer's here after all

I'll be sort of with this, as I will clean up my diet as well. The nutritional plan is to be low carb on off days and high carb after workouts. Also I take some (50-100g) of carbos before a workout. As whole wheat as possible when it comes to grains. The day will also include 12-14 hour fast period at night time. Maybe one cheat day a week will keep me on tracks as well. I will also start supplementing on creatine, so lets see where this gets me.

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Prove the impossible!

good lad dub, get involved

Yeah, I could get into this then. I had already started to clean up my diet, so this will help just a little more.

I go to work in N.Va for 4 days out of the week, 10 hours a day and hang with the family 4 hours away in WV Mon - Wed. I'm pretty close to cutting wheat products out of my daily intake, so I'll give it the final go and take them completely out. I'll stick with the 1 - 2 lbs of veggies/day. Add in some fruits.

I'm thinking of cooking some chicken thighs/bacon/cheese on Wednesday afternoon before I drive in to N.VA for lunches at work. That'll clear the little time I do have before going into work to make room for making breaky/dinner. I'll do eggs & bacon for breaky and ribeye, salmon, pork chops, and meatloaf for dinner. Actually, I think I could probably do the meatloaf on Wednesday also before leaving and have that stored as an emergency dinner meal when I don't have time to make something.

I'll get back onto adding the fish oil pills too. 1200 mg/day I think. At least I think that's what two pills are.

Now, I eat to stay awake on the road between work/home... which usually means McDonalds. Stopping to 'eat in' at a healthy restaruant is not acceptable, so I'm looking for healthy alternatives of snacking while on the road. Anyone?

so.... tempted...

maybe I can empathize with jlmoss
when you haven't had long term success, you want to be careful to not put too much presure/stuff on the table

there are two types of people, those who seemingly can't get comfortable with winning (often thru self sabatoge -"afraid to win"/ "not deserving" / "I don't want to be greedy" / "guilt" ) and those who look at them with a head tilt, not unlike a pug.

Me: I just can't seem to stick to progressing on the exams
Winner: Just make a plan and stick with it
Me: [sarcastically to myself] Oh. gee, is that it.

The thought of droppnig 30 lbs and making steady progress on Acturial exams (modules) between now and Labor Day is exhilerating. Now, if I can channel this energy and not let it make me anxious. It's as if you get comfortable underachieving. Some of you will have your heads tilted now.

Well, ah, you've already made a plan. It sounds like a good one. Maybe you should just, ah, well, stick... Heck, you get it.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan